Binder or loose sheet holder



May 17, 1938 L. ALLYN BINDER OR LOOSE SHEET HOLDER Filed March 13, 1937 INVENTOR. Zea/7 Zl. fl//7/7 MATTORNEYS Patented May 17, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Leon L. Allyn, Kalamazoo, Mich, assignor to Master-Craft Corporation, Kalamazoo, Mich.

Application March 13, 1937, Serial No. 130,670

8 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in binders or loose sheet holders.

The main objects of this invention are: First, to provide a binder or loose sheet holder which may be very quickly adjusted to sheet clamping position and easily released, even when the binding members are under substantial stress.

Second, to provide a binder or loose sheet holder embodying these advantages which is simple in its parts and capable of being embodied in bindcrs or sheet holders of various sizes.

Objects pertaining to details and economies of my invention will definitely appear from the description to follow. The invention is pointed out in the claims.

A structure which embodies the features of my invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming part of this application in which:

Fig. 1 is an inside fragmentary View of a binder or sheet holder embodying the features of my invention with the covers in open position, the binding means being partially open.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary inverted view of the adjusting mechanism removed from the cover.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view with parts in ratcheting holding position.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing the pawl in released position in full lines and adjusted to reversing position by dotted lines.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view mainly in section on line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

The embodiment of my invention illustrated comprises covers I and 2 provided with sheet clamping members 3, the cover I having a recess or chamber l on its inner side. The binding members 5 in this embodiment are in the form of flexible tapes or straps connected to one cover and adjustably connected to the other cover through the adjusting means provided therefor.

This adjusting means comprises a ratchet bar 8 mounted longitudinally of the cover I within the chamber or recess 4 and the adjusting member l in the form of a cross bar to the ends of which the binding members 5 are secured. The adjusting member is slidably mounted on the ra chet bar.

I am aware that binders of this general type are old in the art, for example, in the patent to Wiggintcn No. 1,010,556, issued December 5, 1911.

The adjusting member I is provided with a cammed slot 8 which is disposed in an inclined relation relative to the ratchet bar, the outer end of the slot, that is, the end remote from the 5 ratchet bar, being toward the inner end of the cover. The pawl 9 is provided with a pivot l0 slidably and pivotally engaging the slot 8 and having a finger piece I l at its outer end by means of which the pivot may be manually adjusted in the slot. A reversely bowed or bent spring [2 is mounted on the stud l3 with its free end I4 engaging the inner edge of the pawl. The pawl has a flattened end portion !5 with which the intermediate body portion l6 of the spring engages when the pawl is in its non-holding position as shown in Fig. 4, this acting to hold the pawl in engagement with the ratchet teeth so that on the outward movement of the adjusting member the pawl is swung to holding ratcheting position as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

It will be observed that with the pawl in hold ing ratcheting position the pivot is at the inner end of the slot and the thrust of the pawl is against the edge of the slot. It is found that the holding is very effective and that there is no tendency for the pawl to slip out of position.

The slot preferably is cammed or slightly irregular, being provided with an inset at I! on its outer edge and with a slight lug IS on its opposite edge. These, however, are not absolutely essential to the operation of the device, but are of advantage.

With the binder adjusted so that the binding strips are under stress the binder may be very easily released merely by pulling the pawl pivot toward the outer end of the slot, and even when the binder is under heavy stress this can be done very easily. When this is done the pawl is released from its locking engagement with the ratchet bar and swings to the position shown in Fig. l, but as soon as the adjusting member is pulled outwardly the pawl will reverse itself, the pivot shifting downwardly to a position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 4 until the pawl can shift or swing to the ratcheting holding position as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3. This reversing of the pawl occurs during the first part of the tightening adjustment of the member 1.

In mechanisms such as the Wigginton patent referred to, when the binding members are adjusted to clamping position it is very difiicult to release the pawl and attempts to do so frequently result in a broken fingernail or the necessity for using a coin or other object to prevent injury to the fingers. With my improvements the pawl may be released, even when the binding members are under very considerable stress.

I have illustrated and described my invention in a practical embodiment thereof. I have not attempted to illustrate or describe other embodiments or adaptations which I contemplate as it is believed this disclosure will enable those skilled in the art to embody or adapt my invention as may be desired.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a binder or loose sheet holder, the combination with the covers and the binding members, of a ratchet bar disposed longitudinally of one of the covers, an adjusting member for said binding members slidable on said ratchet bar and having a cammed slot disposed in an inwardly inclined relation to the ratchet bar, a pawl disposed on the inner side of said adjusting member and provided with a pivot slidable in said slot and having a finger piece at its outer end, said pawl having a flattened inner end, a reversely curved spring mounted at one end on said adjusting member with its free end coacting with said pawl and disposed so that its end engages the inner edge of the pawl when the pawl is in ratcheting holding position and an intermediate part of the spring engages the flattened end of the pawl when the pawl is retracted, the spring acting to urge the pawl into engagement with the rack in all positions of the pawl, the angle of the slot being such that the pawl is out of holding engagement with the ratchet bar when the pivot is shifted to the outer end of the slot.

2. In a binder or loose sheet holder, the combination with the covers and the binding members, of a ratchet bar disposed longitudinally of one of the covers. an adjusting member for said binding members slidable on said ratchet bar and having a cammed slot disposed in an inwardly inclined relation to the ratchet bar, a pawl disposed on the inner side of said adjusting member and provided with a pivot slidable in said slot and having a finger piece at its outer end, said pawl lockingly engaging said ratchet bar when the pivot is at the inner end of the slot, a spring mounted on said adjusting member to coact with said pawl, the spring acting to urge the pawl into engagement with the rack in all positions of the pawl, the angle of the slot being such that the pawl is out of holding engagement with the ratchet bar when the pivot is shifted to the outer end of the slot.

3. In a binder or loose sheet holder, the combination with a cover and binding member, of a ratchet bar disposed longitudinally of one of the covers, an adjusting member for said binding member slidable on said ratchet bar and having a slot disposed in an inwardly inclined relation relative to the ratchet bar, a pawl provided with a pivot slidable in said slot to lockingly engage said ratchet bar in inward position of the pivot in the slot and having a finger piece at its outer end, and a spring acting to urge said pawl to rack engaging position, the angle of the slot being such that the pawl is out of holding engagement with th ratchet bar when the pawl pivot is shifted outwardly in said slot, the spring automatically acting to engage the pawl when the pawl pivot is released.

4. In a binder or loose sheet holder, the combination with a binding member, of a ratchet bar, an adjusting member for said binding member slidably associated with said ratchet bar and having a slot disposed in an inclined relation relative to the ratchet bar, a pawl provided with a pivot slidable in said slot and having a finger piece, a spring acting to urge said pawl to rack engaging position, the angle of the slot being such that the pawl is held out of holding engagement with the ratchet bar by the slot when the pawl pivot is shifted outwardly in said slot, the spring automatically acting to engage the pawl when the pawl pivot is released.

5. In a binder or loose sheet holder, the combination with a binding member, of a ratchet bar, an adjusting member for said binding member slidably associated with said ratchet bar and having a slideway inclined and angularly disposed relative to the ratchet bar, a pawl provided with a pivot pivotally and slidably supported in said slideway and manually adjustable longitudinally of the slideway, and a spring acting in all positions of the pawl pivot in the slideway to urge the pawl to ratchet bar engaging position, the outer end of the slideway being so positioned relative to the ratchet bar that the pawl is rendered ineffective for holding engagement with the ratchet bar by manually shifting the pawl pivot to the.

outer end of the slideway, the spring acting to reengage the pawl with the ratchet bar for nonholding ratcheting engagement therewith on the immediately following inward movement of the adjusting member on the ratchet bar, the pawl being automatically shifted to holding ratcheting engagement with the ratchet bar on the outward adjustment.

6. In a binder or loose sheet holder, the combination with a binding member, of a ratchet bar, an adjusting member for said binding member slidably associated with said ratchet bar and hav ing a slot disposed in an inclined relation to the ratchet bar, a pawl provided with a pivot pivotally and slidably engaged in said slot and having a finger piece, the angle of the slot being such that the pawl is held out of holding engagement with the ratchet bar by the slot when the pawl pivot is shifted outwardly in the slot, and a spring acting to urge said pawl to rack engaging position in all positions of the pawl pivot in said slot and to return the pawl pivot to the inner end of the slot when the pawl is reversed to holding position upon the binding member tightening movement of the adjusting member on the ratchet bar.

'7. In a binder or loose sheet holder, an adjusting means comprising a ratchet bar, an adjusting member slidably associated with said ratchet bar and having a slideway inclined and angularly disposed relative to the ratchet bar, a pawl provided with a pivot pivotally and slidably supported in said slideway and manually adjustable longitudinally of the slideway, and a spring acting in all positions of the pawl pivot in the slideway to urge the pawl to rack engaging position and acting to return the pawl pivot to the inner end of the slideway, the outer end of the slideway being so positioned relative to the ratchet bar as to render the pawl ineffective for holding when the pawl is at the outer end of the slideway.

8. In a binder or loose sheet holder, an adjusting means comprising a ratchet bar, an adjusting member slidably associated with said ratchet bar and having a slot disposed in an angular inclined relation to the ratchet bar, a pawl provided with a pivot slidably and pivotally engaged in said slot, the angle of the slot being such that the pawl is held out of holding engagement to the ratchet bar by the slot when the pawl pivot is manually shifted outwardly in the slot, and a spring acting to urge said pawl to ratchet bar engaging position in all positions of the pawl pivot in the slideway.

LEON L. ALLYN. 

